Truth
by Rockleerox93
Summary: Gaara's just your average teenager, half crazy and in need of some major counseling. Who ever said recieving help was far fetched? Seven Kids that's who! An alcoholic, a nut case, a temper brat, multipersonality disorder and a...daydreamer?-Discontinued-
1. The counselment

The Truth

The Truth

I don't belong here…

"Gaara? Are you listening to me?" The counselor studied the red head. When Gaara glared up at the man he corrected his glasses and stated, "I am Ebisu and I will be counseling you from this day forth." The man flipped through the documents in his hands and sighed.

"Gaara…do you know why you're in my office today?" The redhead's brow furrowed as he glared at the man in front of him. After a long while he finally answered, "….I don't belong here." Ebisu nodded his head and scribbled something down. He noted how the boy would tense up whenever he tried to answer his questions. It's as if the redhead had to interpret what was being asked of him into his own language before responding.

After capping his pen he tucked it in his shirt pocket and sighed again. He crossed his legs and calmly placed the documents down on his desk.

"Gaara you can tell me anything, _anything _that's on your mind." Gaara sat with that threatening glare still plastered on his face. He studied his counselor for a long time. The boy must have come to a conclusion now that he was folding his arms across his chest. "I hate you" was his response. Ebisu frowned. Not quite expecting to hear that he corrected his glasses again and continued to speak in an uncomfortable matter toward the rude teenager. "Yes well...expressing yourself is a good start." The man cleared his throat and nervously messed with the pen in his shirt, "Um…there will be more students in here tomorrow. They will most likely share what they're feeling just as …you have."

There was another long pause before a dry snapping noise sounded throughout the bland room. Gaara blinked at how loud that clap was. His counselor's palms were now locked together. The red head glared at Ebisu's intertwined fingers as if to intimidate them for making such a racket. Despite how uncomfortable Ebisu was he forced upon a smile.

He shouted, "But never mind that! Would you like to talk about something else? Your past perhaps?"

The stoic boy narrowed his eyes at his counselor. They sat in an uncomfortable silence for about half an hour until Ebisu spoke again, "Would you like to talk about your siblings…your family maybe?" Gaara flinched. His eyes widened in sudden realization…fragments of his life played through his mind in an order that made no sense. Ebisu noticed the quick change in Gaara's posture. The boy was hunched over in his chair with his palm beside his temple. "No!" His fingers tightly curled into his red locks as he whispered, "_I hate them_…_I hate them_…_I hate them_!"

Ebisu stared at the boy in front of him somewhat fascinated with the quick change that had taken place. In all his years of counseling, he hasn't seen anyone this unstable since…

"I need to help him." He didn't want to fail like he did with…

Ebisu swallowed hard, his lips dry all of a sudden. He had to get this boy to tell him something…

"Why…" Ebisu wasn't quite sure how that word escaped his thoughts but he didn't think much of it. The fact of the matter is: the child in front of him needs help. _His_ help.

Gaara's whispering had stopped. It appeared as though Ebisu's words (word) made some sort of impact on the frail boy. Certain that he had the boys attention Ebisu continued, "…Why do you hate them Gaara?"

The hand that was gripping his skull loosened a bit…his eyes still frozen in pain. His lips moved but nothing came out. Ebisu strained his ears to hear. Gaara mouthed the words again and this time he caught a faint, "_They hate me_…" Ebisu was taken back a bit by the comment. He swallowed again, "…Why do they hate you?" The red head gripped at his shirt and shook his head.

"Gaara, you have to talk to me. Why do they-"

The boys red locks swayed over his eyes as he shook his head wildly, "They blame me…they blame me!"

Ebisu furrowed his brow in worry. This boy wasn't making much sense. It's as if there was so much thinking going on inside his head that he wasn't able to form proper sentences. He was just speaking fragments of quotes overflowing in his mind…his world. Ebisu continued in a hushed manner, "…What do they blame you for? Don't shut me out; tell me…talk to me."

The boy gripped at both sides of his head and screamed, "_I don't belong here_!"The boy darted out of the counseling office without so much as a glance at Ebisu.

"Wait, Gaara!"The man had one hand outstretched toward the boys fleeing form. His arm dropped down to his side in a lazy manner. Shaking his head he fell back into his chair and sighed loudly. The man removed his glasses to pinch the bridge of his nose in frustration. "Damn it…he almost told me something…"

Ebisu looked at the scattered documents on his desk. He narrowed his eyes at them. With a quick swipe of his hand the papers flew into the air and parachuted their way down to the carpet floor. Ebisu stared into space with a frustrated look painted on his face. He then let his eyes wonder the room aimlessly as if he were trying to get his thoughts together. He sighed again and eyed the scattered papers on his office floor. One document in particularly stood out. On the top it read: Gaara Sabaku. Under his name was his age, grade level and information the school needed to know about him. Ebisu read the passage under the tab** Illness's**: _Insomnia due to the traumatic loss of his mother_.

"…Yeah…but _how_ did she die? Kids don't freak out like that unless something happened…something _big._ And Gaara was going to tell me…"

He read the date and furrowed his brow, "This was written ten years ago…" He shook his head and mumbled, "Poor kid…he was only six when it happened." Sighing in defeat he got out of his chair and picked up the scattered documents. He organized them properly before stacking them on his desk (neat freak).

"Sir?"Came a hushed voice. Ebisu turned to see a nervous boy in his doorway. He was wearing a tight fitting green polo and a pair of blue jeans. His hair was short to his head like a bob but his square bangs clearly showed what style he had (a bowl cut.) A question lingered over his features. Questions like: "Why are his arms bandaged up?" and, "Why does he keep fidgeting with them?"

The boys round eyes were focused on the man before him. "Um…I-I'm here for the counseling session." He tightly curled his fingers in the loose bandages around his arms. Ebisu studied the boy and then said, "Yes well…the group sessions don't start until tomorrow. You must have got the date mixed up." The ebony haired boy tightly clenched his arm and nodded. "Sorry for intruding. I'll be back tomorrow." Before the boy turned to leave Ebisu stopped his movements with the words that left his mouth, "You wouldn't happen to be Lee would you?" The ebony haired boy clutched his arm. "Oh…so you are. I heard you had a run in with a boy by the name of Gaara Sabaku in middle school." Lee bit his lip and shook his head. "I'm not going to pester you about it. I just needed it to be confirmed. Now then…" Ebisu looked at the chair Gaara had recently been sitting in.

"Gaara left his jacket in here…care to return it to him?" Lee twitched and stared down at his shoes. Ebisu hurriedly put his glasses on with one hand as he fished for the pen in his shirt pocket with the other. He fumbled with his pen before finally getting a good grip on it. He quickly brought it to his lips. He freed the cap with his teeth and leaned over his desk to scribble something onto a small sticky note.

He picked up the note and harshly stuck it onto Lee's polo, "Here's your pass."

5


	2. Group Session: First Friday

Truth: Group Session

"Okay! This is the first group session of the year. We'll meet here in my office every Friday. "After Ebisu's introduction he looked about the room scanning every teenager present. A girl with bubble gum hair made a sour face. Her nose was scrunched up revealing the makeup around her cheeks. The caked up blush crumbled and cracked as her lips morphed into a sly smile. Her friend was awfully skinny. She was quietly looking about the room with disinterest. A long lock of ash blonde hair covered a portion of her right eye. In the far left corner of the room stood four boys, each preoccupied. The blond haired one was busy tracing the tattooed whiskers on his face. His lazy brunette haired friend slouched down next to him trying desperately to get comfy. Sitting on the floor facing the lazy friend, a raven haired boy was flipping through his sketch book. His smile was odd and out of place on him but nonetheless, he was bored. Then of course there was Lee. As always he was playing with the bandages around his arms. Ebisu scanned the room once more….

Gaara.

Isolated and secluded from all the activity taking place on the opposite side of the room, stood a redhead. A grumpy teenage boy with his hands balled and arms crossed tightly over his chest. Jade eyes bore holes into everything they landed on. Those eyes were favoring a nervous Lee, who was still raveling and unraveling bandages. Lee was completely aware of the attention he was receiving and continued to stare down at his shoes.

Ebisu decided to bring the attention back to him and said, "Alright, come to the center everyone. Bring your chairs." The teen's complied, plastic blue weight dragged behind their heels. Ebisu waltzed behind his desk and brought his work chair around to the circle being created.

Ebisu planted himself in the middle of all the commotion and took his seat. He crossed his legs and patiently waited until everyone was settled in their chair. A loud snap bounced on the walls around them. Gaara glared at Ebisu. The man smiled and sat his clasped hands in his lap.

"What a mighty clap for such small hands…"the raven haired boy commented while still glancing through his sketchbook. Ebisu corrected his glasses and continued as if the boy had said nothing. He dismissed the giggling girls and the finger pointing blond.

"Well then…" he cleared his throat, "Why don't we start with introductions?" Certain that he had everyone's attention he went on. "I'll go first." He straightened up and gave a knowing smile, "My name is Ebisu, and I am Konoha's school counselor and I will be assisting you with all your troubles." He motioned his hand towards the raven haired boy. "We all know that you like to talk, introduce yourself to us." Ebisu leaned back in his office chair and folded his arms across his chest in a proud manner. That ought to teach him, he thought. "Tell us why you're in my office today."

The boy calmly laid his sketch book in his lap and smiled in such an odd fashion that it appeared fake and ominous.

"My name is Sai. I'm a student here at Konoha High and I-"

Ebisu interrupted, "If you don't want anyone to know your business you can just tell me after class." Sai furrowed his brow. "Why wouldn't I want them to know? I could care less what they, or you for that matter, think about me." The man corrected his glasses, somewhat embarrassed that he even brought up the subject.

"I'm sorry, please continue."Ebisu said. Sai continued, with the same alarming smile.

"I'm here because I can't stop thinking about dicks."

Everyone gaped and gawked like fishes out of water. The girls rattled in their seat with gossip while the blond bellowed over everyone else's commotion with laughter. Lee on the other hand stared holes into the ground, obviously uncomfortable with the subject. The lazy brunette beside him was fast asleep. Gaara, completely annoyed with the subject, rolled his eyes. Jade scanned the ceiling, the teens, then Sai and finally settled back into dead space.

Gaara frowned. This man named Ebisu is supposed to free him of his demon. Yet this same man, Ebisu, is supposed to cure this idiot boy of his sexual fantasies?! How degrading. Speaking of which, that same man was busy fumbling with his glasses. He couldn't quiet fix them because of the endless twitching of his hand. Gaara smirked. It serves him right.

Sai, oblivious to everyone's negative reaction, he continued to rant, "Ever since Sex Ed. I've constantly been thinking about them. I even started drawing pictures of them in my sketch book here." He fished for the drawing pad in his lap. "If I could just find one and show you…"

"No!" Ebisu wailed. He immediately cleared his throat. "No." he said a bit more calmly. "You don't have to."

"Oh." Sai simply tucked the drawing pad under his chair and faced his stunned audience again. "Anyway, Mr. Umino caught me drawing one on the test he made us take, and I don't know why he was fussing at me, but that's how I ended up here."

The atmosphere was thick with discomfort. Ebisu broke through the gravity of the heavy situation and said, "Is that all?"

Sai was still smiling as he let the words fall off his lips, "Yep!"

Ebisu pinched the bridge of his nose and softly sighed, clearly agitated. "Sai, we'll talk about it after class okay?" Sai nodded and fetched the sketch pad under his chair.

Ebisu's eyebrow twitched. "And...please don't open that in my class. I don't want it to influence anyone else in here."

"Oh, okay, I won't let you see it then." Ebisu was taken back a bit. The blond jabbed a finger at his counselor and shouted, "Yeah! We don't want you getting dirty thoughts!"Tears began to build in the corner of his eyes as he folded his hands around his stomach, laughing his lungs out. Sai and the girls joined in with the exception of Gaara. Lee's lip trembled. He was obviously fighting his oncoming laugh but was failing miserably. He snorted, then giggled and then slapped a hand over his mouth.

Ebisu's cheeks were red with embarrassment. He choked on his words and coughed. Talk about bad kids…

"Well, um, let's continue."Ebisu shot his hand toward the bubble gum haired girl.

A girl, finally, someone mature he thought. "Please introduce yourself young lady."

She shot him a dirty look, but after realizing that it was her counselor speaking she straightened up. "Oh, um….sure!"Ebisu blinked.

Okay, maybe not so mature.

She sheepishly smiled and waved, trying to seem nervous. "My name is Sakura. I'm an honor student and a school helper here at Konoha High and…." Sakura slowly placed a shy finger on her glossed lips and batted her lashes, "And I've been a bad girl…" A sly smile crept across her face. Gaara visibly twitched. Lee seemed use to it and so did Naruto, they remained unfazed. Sai on the other hand was fixing to say something but the girl next to Sakura interrupted him. An elbow to the ribs interrupted Sakura's explanation.

The girl next to her whined, "Stop trying to be sweet forehead! Everyone in this building knows you're a slut." They stared daggers at each other. Anyone in a mile radius could literally see sparks flying.

Sakura narrowed her eyes at the blond. "Oh, I'm sorry. Did I offend you Ino? Oh yeah, you just hump every guy you see. Isn't that right Ms. Bitch?" Sakura said in a teasing manner. Ebisu sat up in his chair prepared to say something but was cut off many times by the ongoing fight.

"Forehead!"

"Pig!"

"That is enough ladies!" Ebisu shouted. After getting their attention he continued, this time in a much softer tone. "Ms. Yamanaka, please don't interrupt Ms. Haruno while she is speaking."

"Yeah pig, don't interrupt while I'm talking." Sakura said.

"Ms. Haruno, those rules apply to you too."Ebisu lectured. Sakura cast her head low, acting ashamed. "Yes, sir…" Ino laughed mockingly at the pink haired girl. "Yeah forehead." Sakura glared at Ino. The tension rose between them in increasing static.

"Sakura-chan, please continue telling us about yourself." Ebisu said, hoping to restore the balance. Sakura slowly tore her eyes away from Ino and breathed loudly.

"Yeah well, I'm in your office 'cause of _this _here." She jabbed her thumb at Ino mockingly and continued, "We got into a fight two days ago." She began to run slender fingers through her short cropped hair. "My sensei had to step in and stop it because…" Beads of sweat gathered on her mountainous forehead. Her face was indifferent and her eyes were drunk with fury.

"He had to step in because _**I**_ got out of hand." She fluffed her hair and smirked. "See this?" Everyone was snatched up by Sakura's low voice and captive story. The grip she had on them seemed almost ridiculous, but nonetheless, she was a true queen of storytelling. Linking its self around the kids, they could not shake away the chains lacing them to it. Her tale…was so intense now… Ebisu made a mental note: Sakura is a master of attraction.

Unaware of themselves, the teens sat up and leaned into Sakura's story.

"My hair used to flow all the way down my back." She gave her cropped hair a long look before sighing. "I let _**her**_ loose and then…I can't remember. When I finally came to, I woke up in the nurses office all patched up. There was no weight on my head…literally, I felt so light. And then my head began to ache. When I ran my hand at the back of my head…there were loose strands. Split ends and everything!" Ino twitched and looked away from the pink haired girl, completely uncomfortable with the subject. "I remember screaming and my sensei rushing in to calm me down. When I stopped, he explained that it was I who ripped my hair….and that I was shouting and cursing at the top of my lungs. But I know the truth…" She placed a thin hand on her heart and glared at her charm bracelet, "I know that it was **her**….it had to be." After a time of glaring fire at her bracelet she looked up. Sakura slowly turned her head and paused to glance at the girl next to her, "Ino was there lying in the nurse bed next to me. She was crying…and her hair was like mine."

Ebisu blinked. He couldn't believe it. Where the hell was he when the fight broke out? Stories like this spread through the school like a bad cold. Surely he would have heard about it, so why was he just now receiving word?

Silence began to crowd the air again, but before it settled, a voice whispered, "Wow…that must have been a wicked fight." Ebisu gave the eagle eye to the blond boy sitting beside the sleeping brunette. "Since you like to comment about everything, how about you go next?"

The boy smiled. All his teeth were visible, with the exception of a missing tooth here and there. "Ahaha! Finally!" he sat with both legs crossed in his chair with his fist punched in the air. Looking triumphant, he grinned even wider, "The name is Uzumaki! Uzumaki, Naruto!" He brought his fisted hand down on his knee and jabbed a thumb toward himself. "And I'm here 'cause I wanna be." Sakura rolled her eyes and Ino sighed loudly. Sai paid Naruto no attention whatsoever and Lee had his eyes glued to the floor, still in his zombie-like trance. The brunette's eyebrow twitched in his sleep and as for Gaara…

"That's stupid."

Naruto spun around in his chair to glare straight into jade pupils. "You say something?"

"I said that's stupid." Naruto smirked at this. "Yeah well you're stupider." He childishly stuck his tongue out and emphasized his third finger. Gaara continued to stare straight on into Naruto's blue eyes, completely unfazed.

The blonde's threat couldn't begin to compare to others he had received earlier on in his life.

Gaara furrowed his brow, "Watch your back…Uzumaki."

Naruto dismissed the threat, "Yeah, whatever." He faced his counselor, who was completely annoyed at this point. "Hey man, you're not gonna let that punk talk to me like that are you? Do your job!"When he didn't receive a response, Naruto noisily growled under his breath. He impatiently began waving his hand in front of Ebisu's glasses.

"I assure you, I can see." Ebisu calmly snagged the offending hand and brought it back to the users lap. "Please don't agitate the others, Naruto."

Naruto's mouth hung loose, "What?!"He yelled, emphasizing the 'Wh' part. Naruto, in disbelief, motioned his hand to Gaara and then at himself and then back at Gaara. While uttering nothing, he came out of his sarcastic stupor and shouted, "But," he gawked at Gaara, "He started it, everyone heard him threaten me!"

Ebisu corrected his glasses. "What I heard and saw were two disappointments." He looked to Gaara, and then to the gaping blond, "You should have ignored him Naruto and let me deal with it. But because you chose not to, you are the one in trouble."

"How!?" The blond demanded.

The man furrowed his brow feeling like he didn't need to explain, but to a child with Naruto's brain, he decided against impulse. "You sir, after Gaara's comment, chose to call him out of his name and use profanity with your finger and tongue." Naruto snorted.

Ebisu continued to lecture, "That is what I witnessed." Ebisu shook his head, disappointed. "What Gaara said was not right but what you did was far worse. Accept it."

Naruto's eye twitched. He faced Gaara, "Lucky bastard…"he muttered.

"I heard that." Ebisu chimed. Naruto frowned, crossed his arms and then pouted.

"Now…tell us why you are _really_ here, and if you don't, I will."Ebisu threatened.

Sakura and Ino giggled to themselves, Naruto cast them a dirty look.

Bringing his attention back, he sighed in defeat.

"Well….it's a long story." He began.

"Make it short."Ebisu interrupted.

Naruto glared at the man. He grumbled, "I've been in counseling since the third grade, nothing new."The boy paused to think, "They claim it's to keep Kyuubi in check."

Ebisu blinked, "…who is Kyuubi?"

Naruto shrugged, unconsciously drilling a pinky in his ear. "Eh, he talks to me sometimes, he's always yappin' 'bout nothing."

Ebisu made a mental note: Kyuubi, an alter ego…may be imaginary companion?

Sighing, Naruto slapped his hands down on his knees. "Yep, that's it!"He shouted as he hopped in his seat. Ebisu rubbed at his chin in a nagging way. Who is this Kyuubi?

"Naruto…"The man began, "What kind of things does Kyuubi say?"

The blond opened his mouth but was interrupted by a loud choppy _snort._

The brunette gave a violent start and blinked a several times before coming to. His eye was puffy and red with sleep. His voice was parched and dry, cracking as he yawned; he groggily awoke to a room staring back at him.

He looked about as if he were surrounded by a forest. He dragged a long hand over his face and moaned.

"God…it's _still_ not over?"

Lee made a quick move, signaling his sleepy friend to wipe his face. "Shikamaru, you have got some…." Lee demonstrated, motioning his hand to his own cheek, roughly caressing the skin.

The brunette groaned, realizing what the bowl cut boy was getting at. Taking the hint, he slowly swiped his fist across his tender skin. Looking down at his drool glazed hand, he sighed.

"Thanks Lee."

Lee smiled in response.

Ebisu decided to back off of Naruto for the time being. _**That**_ question was going to need a lot of explaining and Ebisu did not have time to waste. This session was meant for every student to introduce themselves, at least before the bell dismisses them for lunch. The counselor scanned the surrounding bundle of kids. From the handful present, he chose…

"Lee."

The boy whipped his head around so quick, that Ebisu was afraid it would pop clean off his small shoulders.

"Your turn." He motioned his aged hand, signaling Lee to speak.

The boy smiled and piped, "Good afternoon!" The mood dropped onto an unsuspecting group of kids, even Gaara.

"Do you have to shout every time you speak?" Ino cupped her ears in an attempt to block the sound of Lee's voice.

"I am sorry Ino-san, but this is how I speak." Lee opted to apologize to the whiny blond but she shook her head, "Just shut up!"

"Now, now," Came Ebisu's voice, "Continue Lee."

"My name is Lee Rock and I am also a student here at Konoha High."

"So you are. Now then…"Ebisu began, "Why are you present?"

Lee could feel static building up in the far corner of the giant circle of students. Someone was boring holes into his face. The ebony haired boy swallowed.

"Lee?"

Lee tugged at his collar in a fashion that most would mistake for a person fanning themselves off. "I…"he started. His fingers scratched at bandaged arms in a casual manner.

"Lee…?"

Lee's eyes flickered with an emotion Ebisu knew well. Onyx eyes bulged out. Fingers clawed at raw paper until it grew tired and weak. The paper was tattered and rippled by nails. They hung loose from Lee's arms.

Ebisu knew from that moment, that Lee was deeply concealing something more serious than what was documented. The pain and guilt that lit his round face…the savage movements of his hands. All of it. All of his actions must have taken place **after** the event involving the red head glaring from across the room.

"…" Lee pursed his lips shut, concealing an obvious cry from escaping. Coal black eyes ached in size. A time passed. The air was thick and muggy with disturbing comfort. It was enough to make one's heart still. The pulse of the heart… Quiet. The rhythm of the beat… Absent. Not even the loud and obnoxious Naruto commented. He just stared at his friend, lying in wait like the rest. Even Ino. Her mouth was clasped over the shrill scream she wanted to sound. Even she…waited. Finally, the ebony haired boy spoke.

"I don't want to talk about it."His voice betrayed his features. He looked so frightened and so fragile, that it almost made Ebisu want to hug the boy right then and there. Sure he had seen many in his care breakdown but something about Lee's eyes bothered him. This feeling he was getting…was so familiar.

Lee shook his head. His bangs swayed creating a ripple effect.

"I don't want to talk about _It_." said Lee, his voice breaking in the process of letting the words fall off his lips.

"You don't have to…"Ebisu heard himself say, not quite sure how the words left his mouth.

"Hey, man." Shikamaru placed a firm hand on Naruto's shoulder, trying to shake the blond out of his obsessive staring. Naruto was bearing the same look as Lee. "Hey!"

The blonde's eyes turned to liquid, but the tears did not fall.

"Snap out of it!" Shikamaru slapped a whiskered cheek. Naruto jolted, now alert and awake, he immediately wiped his eyes with a fisted palm.

"I remember…"

Naruto's words were shaky. His voice touched chained memories. The memories took so much energy to suppress, but now, finally, after all this time of carrying baggage. Naruto dropped the lock to the chest of forbidden thoughts. They frolicked about the walls of Naruto's mind. It was like a slide show of things forbidden and cursed. Never should they be presented to an audience of any kind. Shikamaru's blood stilled upon realizing the hurt in his friends features.

"I know. "Shikamaru said.

"I thought he was…" Naruto's voice cracked toward the end. Fearing if he continued, he wouldn't be able to stop his tears from flowing. He dropped the subject all together.

"I know," He pointed to the indifferent boy beside him, "But he's getting better, see?" Shikamaru gently rocked his friends shoulder knowing that it was the only way to comfort the troubled blond. It appeared that the brunette often did this, seeing how professional he was with words and all. The blond was taking it so well. Ebisu was amazed. Lee…

He made a mental note to self.

The bell rang. The teens made haste with their steps as they filed out of the room, Gaara being the first one out the door. All that remained in the cramped quarters of the small office, Ebisu, Shikamaru, Naruto and Lee sat still. Lee was busy in his indifferent trance of god knows what. Naruto was falling into the warm touch of his friend. And Shikamaru was busy making cooing noises, shaking away the pain trapped in both their lives, at least for the moment. Ebisu stared, completely taken in by the sight.

These kids…were probably the most difficult, yet interesting bunch he'd ever counseled. And here he stood…watching the one in the middle causing grief to the bunch.

"Lee." Ebisu said. Lee didn't face the man with the blinding smile he was known for. He gave numb nod instead, assuring the man that he was there. Well…physically anyway.

Ebisu noted that the Lee he was seeing was the same twitchy boy who entered his room just the day before. He had been meaning to pop a certain question ever since he gave Lee that pass to return Gaara's jacket. The boy never did come back to his office and report what had happened.

Asking in a firm tone, "Lee, how do you know Gaara?"

TBC………………………………………………….

12


End file.
